Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) have emerged as one of the preferred technologies for networking electronic communication devices to one another and to other networks, such as the Internet. Because of the wide availability of WLAN networks worldwide, and with most providing free or low-cost publicly accessible Internet access, WLAN connectivity has become a highly desired feature in new mobile communication devices. WLAN devices typically operate according to the IEEE 802.11 specifications and communicate with one another using spread-spectrum radio communications in a defined frequency band such as, for example, 2.4 GHz.
A WLAN may include a WLAN access point (WAP) and a plurality of user end-point communication devices, such as laptop/desktop/palmtop/tablet computers and/or Personal Data Assistants (PDAs). The WAP serves as a network master for managing communications with end-point devices within its service area, and may communicatively interface the end-point devices to one another and/or to another network, such as the Internet.
WLAN devices continue to suffer from a relatively complex user setup process to initially configure a WAP and one or more end-point devices to communicate with one another through a secure interface. Historically, to establish a secure interface, a user has manually entered a key into an end-point device that matches a key in the WAP. Recently, working groups called the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance and the Wi-Fi Alliance have developed wireless networking standards called Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. Part of the Wi-Fi standards are directed to simplifying the user setup process for configuring communications between a WAP and an end-point device.
Through a process called push button configuration, a user initiates a configuration process by pressing/selecting a physical/logical button on the WAP and on the end-point device to initiate an automated configuration process therebetween. The end-point device transmits a probe request message that includes an industry defined default PIN to the WAP. The WAP authenticates the received PIN and communicates a probe response message that contains an encryption key to the end-point device. The end-point device responds to the probe response message by transmitting an encryption key to the WAP. The exchanged encryption keys are used to configure communications between the WAP and the end-point device.
Through another process called PIN configuration, a user initiates a configuration process at the end-point device by entering a PIN that is read from markings on the WAP, such as from a printed label on the WAP. The end-point device communicates the PIN in a probe request message to the WAP. The WAP authenticates the received PIN and transmits a probe response message that contains an encryption key to the end-point device. The end-point device communicates an encryption key to the WAP. The WAP and the end-point device use the exchanged encryption keys to configure communications therebetween.
Accordingly, the push button configuration process and the PIN configuration process can simplify the exchange of PINs between a WAP and an end-point device and, thereby, may simplify the configuration process for a user. However, the use of standard/printed PINs may reduce the security of a WAP and end-point devices that connect thereto, and may make the WAP and end-point devices more prone to security attack. The complexity of manual configuration processes has sometimes motivated users to select simple keys, which can also make the associated devices more prone to security attacks.